Agribusiness: Monsanto enhances replant policy after Tennessee flood

Corn, cotton and soybean farmers in Tennessee and northeast Mississippi affected by early May flooding are eligible to take advantage of an enhanced replant policy, including the option for some growers to upgrade to Monsanto’s newest Genuity corn product.

“Our prayers and thoughts go out to those residents affected by the devastating floods,” said Dion McBay, Monsanto regional business director. “A disaster like this calls for us to amend some policies and respond to farmers’ needs in a timely manner. As a result, we are enhancing our replant offerings to allow farmers a quick and low-cost option to replant their corn crop or switch to Asgrow soybeans and Deltapine cotton.”

Corn farmers in the Roundup Rewards program will be able to substitute, at no additional cost, YieldGard VT Triple with Genuity VT Triple PRO, Monsanto’s newest corn trait package for the South.

McBay acknowledges the window for replanting corn is quickly closing, and some farmers may switch to soybeans and cotton.

“In some areas, we understand that replanting corn won’t be an option, as some fields are still under water. Once the waters recede, farmers will need to survey their fields for erosion damage and even have to take time to re-till fields,” McBay said. “If farmers need to make the switch to soybeans or cotton, we have replant programs in place for those crops as well.”

All counties in Tennessee are eligible for the enhanced replant program. In Mississippi, these counties are eligible: Alcorn, Benton, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Marshall, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo and Union.

Farmers are encouraged to contact their dealer or Monsanto sales representative for more information on the replant programs.